People don’t realize how much they love or miss someone until they’re not around, said Abigale Smith, who’s been searching for her sister, Emma Baum for nearly three months.

Baum and her newborn baby have been missing since Oct. 10, and last were seen in Gary. Baum’s friends and family were some that asked for help Monday at Team NWI-Independent Search and Rescue’s awareness event at Second Life Resale Shoppe in Crown Point.

“We just want to know that she’s OK,” Smith said. “We’re not trying to force her to come home, but we are worried. … So many of us are nonstop, continuously on the phone, talking to everybody, being traumatized by people that think this is a game.”

Lisette Guillen, executive producer of Case Files Chicago, helped with Monday’s event. Guillen called it a momentous day for families and friends that have been looking for their loved ones.

“Unfortunately, the families you see here feel that not enough is being done for these cases,” Guillen said. “Families hope they can bring more awareness and also help jump-start help from the police departments.”

Indiana currently has 228 missing person cases, according to World Population Review. In Gary, 82 people are missing, according to the Indiana Missing Person Bulletin.

The body of a missing Valparaiso woman, 48-year-old Jamie Vlamos-Jones, was found on Dec. 26 when volunteers were conducting an independent search in Lake Station. She had been reported missing on Dec. 18.

Kara Barnett, a friend of Smith’s, said that 12 out of every 10,000 people in Gary go missing, adding that Merrillville, Hammond, Lake Station and Hobart have lower numbers. Barnett had a poster board with names of missing people throughout Gary and Northwest Indiana.

Speakers urged Gary and Lake County police to pay more attention to their residents in danger.

“Police are failing every step of the way in Gary, a lot of which seems to be by their lack of care,” Barnett said. “I have seen (Smith) go on search after search with little if any help from the police. I have seen her stress about meetings that the chief of police has canceled, but all she’s trying to do is find her sister.

Gary police Chief Derrick Cannon said in a statement that the department is aware of the missing persons list, which he said is inaccurate due to outdated information. The city will publish an updated list Friday, he said.

It’s critical for residents to have the most accurate information, Cannon said.

“We take every missing person case seriously and dedicate all necessary resources to locate the individuals and bring them back safely to their families,” his statement said. “It is our goal to work with the families of missing persons to protect their privacy and ensure the integrity of each case.”

Smith and Barnett weren’t the only two who spoke on behalf of loved ones Monday.

Dalia Guerrero asked for help finding her granddaughter, 13-year-old Ja’Niyah McMichael, who’s been missing since Aug. 11.

McMichael was reported as a runaway, Guerrero said, but her family doesn’t believe that. She promised to keep raising awareness until her granddaughter is found.

“If you know anything, please come forward,” Guerrero added. “You can remain anonymous. We just want her home and to know that she’s safe. We miss her so much.”

On Oct. 5, the city of Gary published a news release about McMichael’s case, but it hasn’t released an update since. The Gary Police Department has worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Child Services to investigate McMichael’s disappearance.

“We strongly urge the public to refrain from sharing unvetted information, as this can severely impede the ongoing investigation,” the release said. “Our actions to date have been aimed at ensuring compliance with the law and preserving the integrity of the investigation.”

Brenda Jones asked for help finding Lisa Wright, who she said is one of her best friends. Wright, who is nearly 34 years old, has been missing since September 2021.

Jones is frustrated that she and Wright’s other loved ones haven’t received more help, and she believes the police department is discriminating based on “certain things in (victim’s) pasts.”

Smith and others agreed with Jones’ beliefs, saying that she thinks searches are delayed if victims have troubled pasts.

“We, the families, have the right to ask our local police department to not pass judgment on our loved ones because of their past or lifestyle,” Smith said. “We understand that all actions they may have participated in aren’t up to society’s standards, but they are still human. Every person has the right to equal treatment and access to all databases that help families find their loved ones.”

The problems in Northwest Indiana aren’t unique, said Lorenzo Longoria, who spoke on behalf of the family of Davione Comanse, a 26-year-old man who was last seen in September 2022 in Gary. Longoria encourages people to help find people who are missing throughout the world.

“This is a real issue, and unfortunately, we live in a world where bad things happen to good people,” he said. “This is bigger than Northwest Indiana. We not only represent the people in our region but worldwide.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com